Once apon an October Morn
by Kovou
Summary: A Short story Idea i decided to do inbetween working on my other Fanfiction. Doug Ross spends his life saving kids, but what happens when it comes time for a kid to save his life ?
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: This work is purely of fiction and is not a Cannon ER story. I do not own ER or any thing affiliated with it.

A short story I had an idea for and thought I'd try in between writing other stuff. Only my second attempt at a fanfict Please rate and ridicule :)

Introduction

Daybreak. The cool stream of light filtered silently into the room and crept slowly up onto the sleeping person in the bed. In the corner, which remained in shadow, a man sat, watching. He smiled to himself as he pulled up his body from the seat came over to the sleeping woman and brushed back some of the black curls fanning out to her pillow as she slept.

She mumbled somewhat incoherently causing the man's tanned face to break into a deeper smile which made his eyes wrinkle.

"Doug?" the woman asked as she cuddled his arm sleepily.

"Yeah, it's me Carol. I'm going to work Kay." He said as he interlocked his fingers with her warm palm.

"Time..?" she asked rolling over and arching her back into a stretch like an overgrown cat. Her eyes remained firmly closed against the onslaught of sunshine which battered so unforgivingly into the room.

" Its still early, go back to sleep ok, I'll see you in a bit." the man reassured his love as he unwound his limbs from her and pulled himself from the bed and onto his feet.

Turning back to look he saw quit clearly the raise and fall of the woman's chest in such a way that could only mean she had indeed gone back to sleep. Smiling to himself again he quietly left the room and walked silently out of his house into the ever brighter October morning.

This is my story to you. You don't know me, and quite frankly I doubt if you ever will, but perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. Ever noticed how day breaks ever time same scene every time but each time is different? Some say that a wise person can look at the world at daybreak and know exactly what the day would be like. How their fates would unfold that day. For you see, nothing happens all of a sudden or unexpectedly. Nothing happens for no reason, everything has a purpose. I was told this so many times. But until that fateful day. The day that started out with a man watching his fiancé sleep, I had never believed it.

But I'm getting ahead of myself again...so let me rewind to that day. The fateful morning I happened to meet Doctor Doug Ross and how our fate, our destiny became one and the same.


	2. Chapter one Morning Jerry

Chapter one: Morning Jerry.

"Morning Jerry" Came the call as six or seven different people passed the man at the desk. He swivelled in his chair trying to greet each one in turn

"Morning Doctor...Greene...Weaver...Ahh morning Hal...Jeanie...Lil...Ackh forget it..." he ended finally and swung his chair around to face the front again.

In the lounge the two Doctors chuckled with each other.

"And yeah, before you ask Kerry this is my final shift. After that it's nothing but me, Rachel and free time." Mark Greene smiled at the thought of it alone.

Kerry, the other doctor who had in fact had no intention of asking him...yet again, simply nodded her head and smiled back with a:" Sounds nice Mark. Coffee?"

"What's this I hear?" Doug stated as he emerged into the lounge rubbing his elbow. "Mark Greene. On holiday?" he said in mock disbelief and reaching over put his hand on Mark's forehead.

"Quick Kerry, Mark's either very ill or has been replaced by a pod-person." he grinned as his friend swatted the arm away.

"Get out of it Doug..." Mark declared as he thrust a Cup at the other Doctor who so obviously found the situation funny.

It was Kerry who broke up the argument." What happened Doug?" she asked taking a sip of her coffee and pointing her crutch at the man's elbow.

Doug looked down at the offending limb. "Ach nothing some kid didn't like getting his shots and gave me a kick for my trouble."

"Yikes..." Mark mumbled into his own cup. "I take it you've been having fun?"

Doug chuckled again. "Oh yeah been on 5 hours now and it's just been one barrel of laughs after the other. I'm in the Peds room if you need Me." he said and taking his cup he retraced his steps and left the other two o chat.

Now, how I know all of this may make you ponder. But ill explain in good time. Anyway what's important is what happened next.

The hands on clocks everywhere reached the hour; Doug emerged from the lounge with his coffee and bumped straight into a man in a black suit.

"Oh excuse me..." he said but the man simply looked up at him and smiled.

"It is no problem, please Doctor Ross do not concern yourself." He simpered in a cool and calculated tone.

He stepped to the side and walked over to watch an elderly woman on a vent. Doug frowned to himself and noting Jerry watching him he made his way over wiping down his scrub shirt with his hand as he went.

"Jerry."

"Yes Doctor Ross?"

"That guy. In the suit. Do you know who he is?" Doug asked sliding into a seat beside the desk clerk and draining his mug.

Jerry shook his head. "No. Didn't see him come in. didn't see him leave either..." He stated, causing Doug to turn and look. Sure enough the Man had gone. "Creepy looking though isn't he?"

Doug blinked. "Uhh what?" he asked.

"I said he's creepy looking isn't he. I've seen him about a lot these last few weeks or so wanders around I guess he's a lawyer or something. Trying to get in on some mal-practice suites."

Doug smiled faintly" He knew my name."

"Well that's not hard is it? Since you wear a name tag and are probably the most likely cause of this hospital's malpractice suites out of any of us." replied another voice.

"Ha-ha Kerry." Doug said as he watched the woman limp off to deal with a chest Pain. "So Jerr...What ya got for me?" he added.

Before Jerry could answer with a negative number of patients, a small pale boy with startling green eyes and almost white blond hair appeared at the desk. Where he came from people would later say they had no idea. But there he was and I can vouch for that. How? You ask? Well, because the boy was me.

"Excuse me." I said and smiled slightly up and the large man who looked over the desk at me. Ok granted while I was mature for my age I was only 9 or 10 and only a head taller than the desk edge itself.

"Yes?" he asked.

" Sorry, I was wondering if you could tell me how much longer I was gunna be, it's just its getting kinda late, I've been here for a few hours and I gotta catch the train home before the last one leaves at 7."

"That's...eight hours from now..." Jerry said in suspicion.

"Oh...is it?" I chuckled. "Sorry. My watch must have stopped, I didn't mean to be a pain ill go back and wait." I looked over at Doug and gave both men a smile and turned to go.

"Hey...hang on "Doug called as he came around the desk and kneeled down to my height." Hey kiddo, I'm Doctor Ross." he said gently.

"Hi, I'm Matthew." I told him.

"See that guy there? His name's Jerry and he's in charge of the people who come into the hospital. "He said to me and turning he addressed Jerry this time, almost out of ear shot." I'm going to take him down to the peds room. Keep a look out for a family member or something."

I watched this exchange of words and nods happen. The presence of both of them felt warm, safe and I smiled slightly to myself as I stood basking in the warmth. It did not last long however. A cold chill filled the air around the desk suddenly causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.

"Doctor Ross. We meet again." A black suited man said smiling as Doug very nearly stepped backwards into him searching for the source of the voice.

"Ahh yes, Mr...Mr., sorry I don't believe I caught your name..." Doug replied sounding friendly enough but at the same time he inched ever so slightly closer to me. The black suited guy seemed to notice. He looked at me, then at Doug again.

"Ahh of course..." he said his dark cold eyes piercing into mine. I stood my ground and he looked away.

"Tempest. Mister Timothy, Edward Tempest, Doctor. Attorney at law. It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I have been visiting a client of mine. Well more a soon-to be client of mine. You see I deal with the dead Doctor," he chuckled.

"Ahh of course. The dead..." Doug repeated somewhat sceptically wondering if he should call security or psyche. He looked down at me.

"Ha-ha no, I should perhaps re-phrase that. I deal with the families of the deceased, setting affairs in order ECT ECT..."

Doug nodded "ah-ha, well not to seem rude but if you'll excuse me I have a patient." he looked down at me again to make his point

"So I see...Good day to you Matthew." Tempest directed at me as we passed and for a moment Tempest's eyes flashed with a mixture of spite and of hate.

"And you Mister Tempest."

"I trust I shall be seeing you shortly." He said softly, his face mask like with the same sickly smile.

I smiled back. "Oh I doubt that Mister Tempest. But I'm sure you can find other things to occupy yourself with." I said my eyes flickering to the many bloody and bruised looking people in the ER.

He followed my gaze then laughed at me. Harsh and cold." You see much little one but you don't quite see the full picture. Doctor Ross. I hope to see you soon."

Doug smiled, not a full smile that reached his eyes, but a patient one. "I certainly thin you will Mister Tempest with the comings and goings you have been making these last few days."

Tempest chuckled and reached out a hand to pat Doug on the shoulder. It was at this Point I gave a groan and held my stomach.

"I feel sick..." I said weakly

Doug looked down at me. I had gone a few shades lighter. He bent and picked me up. " It's ok Buddy, you're ok.." he told me comfortingly as he turned and walked off with me towards a room only a meter or so away from where we had been standing.

As we vanished through the door I felt, more than saw Tempests out stretched hand, which had missed its intended mark because fall an inch or less in time to pat a passing grey haired man with a mop.

He chuckled again to himself as he watched the door swing close and still chuckling he turned don his heel and marched off down the corridor his feet making absolutely no sound on the floor and his shadow stretched long and thin in his wake, menacingly.


	3. Chapter Two Say Ahh

Chapter Two: Say Ahh.

Meanwhile, I sat on a nice soft bed, a welcome change from the chairs in the waiting area. Doug pulled a chair closer to me and in the second his head was level with mine I looked at him properly.

There's another thing, no one looks at a person properly Like really properly. If they did they would see so much more than skin, flesh and bone. They would SEE the person, the person inside the body we have.

And so that's what I saw, I saw the person who was Doug Ross. I saw his love and his troubled past. I saw his kind and gentle nature as well as his temper and his love for children. His ease with them because at heart he really was just a big child.

"Feel a bit better?" he asked me as he sat himself on the stool to get a better view of me.

"Yeah...I'm sorry I interrupted you're conversation." I told him looking sheepish.

"No, that's ok. He was a bit creepy wasn't he?" he asked me and chuckled.

"Yeah...you have no idea..." I said softly as he flipped up a page of my chart.

"So, Matthew..." he asked as he jotted something down." You felt sick before, was that the first time today?" he asked and fixed his eyes on me. His Quiet voice and nature made it difficult not to open my mouth and spit out everything that was wrong with me, why I was there why Tempest was there too. For like I said before, nothing happens suddenly, it's always in motion weeks in advance...but I couldn't so instead I merely nodded my head.

"Right, its ok..." he said again and waited. It was a prompt for me to open my mouth he wanted an answer.

"I was on the train going to my Grand-ma's; I'm allowed to ride it alone now." I said to him watching him watching me. "And my stomach hurt. It was sore before that though but it kind of went away I think."

"Ahha ok...ok, and can you show me where it hurts?" he asked me softly.

I nodded my head again and pointed at my stomach." And it's kinda sore here too..." I said pointing higher.

"Ahh ok..." He said as he rose from his seat and peeling back my t-shirt he pressed with his hands expertly into my abdomen. I lay there watching until he hit the spot that caused the trouble and I gasped.

"Oww." I said simply. He stopped and reached for a white thing behind me.

"Ok, well, here's what we are going to do. We're going to check you out. Ok?" he asked and smiling warmly at me again he placed the tip of the white thing into my ear.

"Yeah...ok." I replied nervously back as I craned my neck and tried to read the flashing number from the thermometer. He was too quick however and put it back out of the way before I had even seen as much as one digit.

"Don't worry Matthew. You're in safe hands with me " he said as he placed the cool end of is stethoscope on my warm skin.

#I know. # I thought to myself. # That is just my problem#


	4. Chapter three The mysterious truth

Chapter 3: The mysterious truth.

The Machine to the left made a beep noise. And I turned my head from where it lay on the pillow and watched the Green line blip up and down in points. My heart. At least it was still beating I mused. But for how much longer I didn't know.

Doug watched me through the window. He had tried to call my grandparents and gotten no reply. This I had explained as they must have

Gone to the Lodge for the weekend thinking I was staying with a friend. They wouldn't be back until Monday.

I doubt he was suspicious of this. He was suspicious however when I told him I had fallen out with my friend who had then gone to stay with his father a few miles away for the long weekend also. There was no one in the city I could contact that I knew of.

After a few moments he pushed open the door and came in, smiling.

"Hey buddy. How you feeling?" he asked as he approached, removing his stethoscope from around his neck.

"Bit better." I told him as he again placed his stethoscope over my lungs and listened.

It was the truth I did feel better, and as far as Doug was concerned that was a good thing. He was doing his job but I knew better. Later I would ponder this moment and think "Hey was that moment, THAT second, the turning point in the whole thing?" But I'm getting ahead of myself again.

"That's good" he told me and he gentle took hold of my shoulder and pushed me up slightly to listen to my back. Finished he lowered me back down and replaced his stethoscope.

"Hey...so we've managed to track down a neighbour of your Grandparents. She said she would come and pick you up if and when we decide to discharge you."

I looked at him and blinked. "Neighbour of my grandparents?" I asked him feeling confused. No one would come to pick me up. No one could come to pick me up for one simple reason.

"Yeah, she said she baby-sits you from time to time. Her name's Angel?" he asked looking concerned. I suppose he thought I had maybe bumped my head or something. But I knew when he meant

"Angel! Oh yeah I know her yeah she lives across the street." I said feigning enthusiasm.

Doug smiled again. "Great. Well what I think we'll do is, we'll keep you here for a couple of hours more. See how much your fever comes down and if your chests still clear we'll call Angel and she can come get you. Hows that sound?"

"Yeah sounds good."

" Right then kiddo I gotta go do some grown up stuff." he pulled a face." But I'll be back to check up on you ok."

"Yeah ok." He turned to go when a thought struck me. "Doctor Ross..." I asked him. He turned back to look at me.

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe in god Doctor Ross?" I asked wiggling my feet under the hospital sheets.

He looked at me for a moment, unblinkingly considering and sizing me up. Finally he came back into the room and sat on the end of the bed.

"In my own way. Sort of, yeah I guess. But I was never one for going to church and Bible reading." He explained slowly.

I looked at him in a confused way.

" Well.." he went on " Every day I watch people come in and out here, some people sick, some injured, a lot of them dieing and it makes me question if God's there. But every time. When a little kid come sin, and I manage to save them, save their lives. I look down at my hands and I think. I have a gift. All of us, Me, Doctor Greene. Doctor Weaver. We all have Gifts. To Heal and I think that when someone has that type of power, it can only come from god. He decided to spare that person and he gave us the power to save them. Understand?"

I nodded. I understood what he was saying. He believed in god all right. He just didn't believe in religious tradition and obligation.

"See you in a bit kiddo" he said again. He ruffled my hair and walked out of the room into the chaos that was the ER.

A while later. I'm not exactly sure how long; I think I must have fallen asleep. Or perhaps it was because time doesn't mean much to me now. I don't know, I looked round again to see a thin woman hanging pictures of Pumpkins.

"Halloween." I said croakily and licked my lips. She gave a start and turned to face me

"Ahh yes...it is" she smiled her voice tinted with accent.

"I'm Matthew" I said.

"I am Bob." she told me and finished hanging the picture. "I hope you feel better." she said and left.

At that Doug came in followed by a tall and pretty woman. Her midnight black hair trailed long and flowing to the small of her back and her face was pale and prefect with a subtle peaches and cream complexion she was talking to Doug, who seemed rather entranced and smiling radiantly.

"There he is. Feeling better?" he asked as he re-preformed the routine of checking readings and listening to my lungs.

"Much." I said as I watched over his shoulder as he listened to my back. My eyes locked with the women's and her eyes went cold and agitated looking.

"Okeydokey, I think this ones about ready to go. Just a lot of bed rest and fluids and he should be ok. I'll get the discharge papers." he said leaving us alone.

"I'm..."I began but she held up a hand to silence me looking around her.

"Not here" she said her voice as soft and fluid as silk. "We shall not speak here it is not safe." she said meaningfully and I shut up.

By the time Doug was back I was dressed and fighting with the sticky pads on my chest.

"Here let me help you." He chuckled crossing the room to my aid leaving the chart to be signed by Angel.

"Got your things Matthew?" she asked me as I pulled my jacket on.

"Yes." I said and followed her from the room. I stopped at the door and looked back at Doug.

"Hey Doctor Ross..." I said

He looked up and smiled. "Yeah Matt?"

"Could I come back and see you maybe? We could play basket ball?"

He smiled "Yeah sure. Just ask for me at the desk."

"Kay" I said happily and left the room.

Angle and I walked out of the hospital in what appeared to me slow motion. Every person Angel passed looked up at her, the sick, the injured, the dying. All of them their eyes shining with the radiance her true self possessed and I saw it. I saw it all reflected in their eyes. And still she walked on While others who did not exists between two Plaines, who worked or simply visited within those walls continued their daily business and minded themselves.

As we reached the end of the ambulance bay the world sped back up, hustle and bustle as an ambulance roared past us both, pulled up and doctors and medics rushed top the aid of an older grey haired man in cleaner's overalls strapped to the gurney.

"What we got?"

"Peter kronblovski, 58, heart attack found a few blocks away… BP..."

"My god doesn't he work here?" One asked as they rushed inside.

"Yeah! He was mopping the hall this morning he's with house keeping..."


End file.
